Pipeline poised for rush

COLORADO SPRINGS — The Front Range Pipeline that runs through eastern El Paso County has positioned Colorado to take advantage of the burgeoning market for natural gas liquids.

The pipeline, which began operating in February, is expected to become increasingly important as the state’s production of natural gas liquids continues to grow. Last year, the Denver-Julesburg basin produced about 53,000 barrels of NGLs per day; by 2019, that number is expected to nearly double, according to research by Bentek Energy, a Denver-based energy analytics firm.

NGLs include ethane, propane, butane and natural gasoline.

Every day, the 435-mile pipeline transports about 80,000 barrels of NGLs from Weld County, which sits atop the Denver-Julesburg basin, to Skellytown, Texas.